This pattern is available for free online under an agreement between Paintbox Yarns and Katie Jones. Please go and have a look at the Paintbox Yarns site first if you’re considering making it. Also, check out Katie’s other designs on her website.
I liked the original pattern and knew immediately I wanted to make it in Merino. The intention for me was more about having something warm to snuggle in through winter, rather than an ultra-cool acrylic fashion piece.
The changes I made were based on my objectives of comfort and warmth. While my final jacket looks significantly different from the artist’s original work, the bones are the same. And I love these bones.
When winter arrives, there’s every chance I’m going to be gorging on kimchi noodles and pork belly daily if last year is anything to go by. Yun Mart in Fairy Meadow, I love you too. As such, I figured a longer jacket would facilitate the lifestyle choices that make me happiest.
To create the extra length, I considered how the pattern is constructed. I could’ve added rows to the bottom edge of the jacket once it was finished, but I wanted to keep the triangular geometry going along the edges. I find that aspect of the pattern interesting.
In short, there are two hexagonal fabric panels (one for the right side of the body and one for the left) and these are individually folded in half to make a ‘7’ and a forward-facing 7. Can you visualise how the top edges of the 7 and forward 7 make the sleeves? The slanted vertical edges are the length of the jacket. Without going into too much detail, any alteration can be made by understanding which edges of the hexagon create depth and length.
Three edges of the hexagon when folded into the ‘7’ become the sleeve. One edge is the sleeve opening folded in half near your wrist, and two edges are seamed at the top to create the length of the sleeve. The other three edges of the hexagon form the depth of the jacket as it wraps around you, and the front and back length.
Each side of the hexagon represents:-
Sleeve upper edge (1), wrist hole (2), sleeve upper edge (3), length (4), body depth (5), length (6).
When casting on the foundation chain, instead of 10 chains, I made 20. This allowed enough space for me to increase the stitch count at sides 4 and 6.
At round 1 per the pattern, the instruction is to crochet 6 clusters of 3 trebles (US dc’s), and these set up the 6 sides of the hexagon. I crocheted 3 trebles for all clusters except sides 4 and 6. I made 12 trebles at those clusters to get the right proportion of length I was after.
From this point forward it was easy to follow the rest of the pattern, and I had two completed 7’s within a week.
When it was time to seam along the centre back I was concerned there was going to be too much room in the back and it would pitch out the front and back at angles. I made only one infill row for each of the left and right centre back edges. When I seamed the centre back together, I started a few stitches lower than the shoulder so the shoulder seams wouldn’t get pulled into the back.
I crocheted the cuffs and left them on for a few days while I thought about whether to keep them. I live almost exclusively in black, white, grey and blue. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say I could use some colour. So I thought about it. And then I wussed out and took them off.
I didn’t attempt the blooms on the same basis as above. Although, they are pretty cool.
I used my 8 ply 100% Australian Merino which forms a soft and stretchy fabric.
The finished jacket is all the comfort I was hoping for. I like that the stitches remind me of colourful teeth. Cosy with a bit of an edge.
The 'Blooming Bomber Jacket' pattern can be found at:-
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